1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a device and method for repair of a damaged tank fill pipe. Specifically, the invention relates to a device and method of use for repairing a leaking liquid holding tank fill pipe threaded neck.
2. State of the Art
The trucking industry generates approximately $650 billion of annual revenue and is responsible for over 80% of all commercial transportation based on revenue generated. There are around two million semi tractor-trailer trucks registered in the United States. A typical truck travels between 45,000 and 100,000 miles annually, depending on whether the unit's usage is regional or “long haul.” Therefore, any commonly occurring condition which renders a semi-truck tractor inoperable can have a substantial economic impact.
An example of such a condition is a leaking fuel tank from damaged threads on the tank's fill pipe neck. A standard rig has two side-mounted liquid fuel tanks, each with a capacity of approximately 150 gallons. Each tank has a fill pipe and is sealed by a threaded cap screwed onto the end of the fill pipe neck. After filling the tank with fuel, the operator must securely screw the threaded cap onto the fill pipe neck. If the cap is not properly and tightly secured, engine vibration tends to loosen the connection between the tank cap and the fill pipe neck. Continued vibration between these loosened components wears the tank cap threads against the fill pipe threads, damaging the fill pipe threads. After enough thread wear, the tank cap can no longer be sufficiently tightened on the damaged threads of the fill pipe neck to prevent leakage of fuel from the tank. Leaking fuel creates a characteristic streak of grime, leaving a “leak trial” down the side of the tank and calling the situation to the attention of inspectors who will “red tag” the truck, removing it from the highway until the leaking fill pipe is repaired.
Repairing a leaking fill pipe generally requires replacing the entire fuel tank. This can take from several hours to days, depending on the availability of parts and services at the rig's location. The cost of a new aluminum diesel fuel tank alone is typically between $500 and $1,000. This cost does not include labor or account for lost revenue and other collateral losses arising from the rig's down-time while the tank is replaced. The total costs, therefore, for a single leaking fill pipe can exceed $2,000.
Accordingly, an invention is needed to create a durable repair of a leaking tank fill pipe.